Runnerup 2023 finish is pushing Trevians field hockey to find that something extra this season

New Trier field hockey does not get beaten to the scoreboard often, but when it does, they have a foolproof plan.

Respond.

The Trevians, regarded as the state’s top field hockey program, made it a goal this year to rise to the occasion every time they give up a goal. And, as Christian Academy of Louisville found out Friday, Oct. 4, it’s a pretty good plan.

“One thing we’ve done really well is when we have gotten scored on, we respond right away,” New Trier coach Brittany Romano said. “This team works so well together. They came together right away. Within a couple minutes after they scored, we brought it back and it was tied 1-1. From there we took advantage and there was no looking back. We controlled that whole game.”

New Trier scored four unanswered goals Friday to best their visitors 4-1 in Northfield and improve to 15-1-1 on the season.

A day later, the Trevians also walloped Loyola Academy 5-1 — a more lopsided result than the 3-1 game New Trier took off the Ramblers earlier this season.

With about two weeks until the postseason’s start, Romano said the Trevians are in a good place. Loyola is one of the top teams in the state, and New Trier also downed highly ranked Lake Forest earlier this year in overtime and picked up impressive victories on road trips to St. Louis and Pennsylvania.

“Things are looking really good for us,” she said. “We’ve been trending upwards the whole season. It seems like every game we get better and better.” 

New Trier’s extra focus on dulling its weaknesses this season is a byproduct of the last season’s ending. As winners of four straight state championships (2018-2022, no tournament in 2020), the Trevians were odds-on favorites again in 2023; however, a sparkling going-away present for retiring coach Stephanie Nykaza was not in the cards. New Trier fell 1-0 to Glenbrook South in the championship game.

Nykaza’s understudy, Romano, took over the program and said the team, which features eight seniors, has not needed much motivation to succeed.

“Of course it is sad that (the state-championship loss) happened, but it is such a huge motivator and has kept them hungry for more and kept everyone directed toward the same mission,” Romano said. “It’s still looming there. We want to win again. There hasn’t been a need to motivate them in that way.”

Junior star midfielder Lilly Cimaroli has led the way for the Trevians. Cimaroli, who also is a U16 USA women’s national team member, recently committed to Princeton field hockey. The Trevians also feature Northwestern commit Julia Soriano and Michigan commit Beatrice Ottsen, both seniors on the defensive end of the field. Kennedy Glinn is an experienced goaltender who just reached the 200-save milestone.

To fill in the loss of 11 seniors from the 2023 group, New Trier carries a variety of ages on its roster, including eight sophomores and two freshmen. Romano said with the younger players eager and willing to learn, and the elders pulling them in the right direction, the Trevians have found a dynamic mix that they think will get them back on top.

“The age has really been a breath of fresh air,” she said. “We have a lot of girls willing to learn new things, and these seniors have been a blessing to have as my first group. They are willing to go with everything and guide the young ones.

“They want all of this. They want a state championship and understand in order to win they have to have all 25 players on the same boat and going in the same direction. The seniors took that challenge and made this a great team.”

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